Direct and Indirect speech Present Perfect continuous tense

Rules to Change direct speech to indirect speech

Affirmative Sentences

Rules:Helping verbs of present perfect continuous tense are changed into the past perfect continuous tense have/has been changed to had been Verb ing form

Subject+that+helping had been + object

Negative sentences

To form the negative sentences all the structure of sentences remain same just add the “not” between the helping verb

Subject+that+helping verb (had not been )+ object

Interrogative sentences

Rules:Asked is use instead of “said”

For questions like Yes/No “if” or “whether” is used

For questions like wh (“what when where”) same word used in indirect speech

Exclamatory sentences

Exclamatory words like Hurrah,alas, wow are replaced with “exclaimed with joy/sorrow/surprise etc

Direct and Indirect speech Present Perfect continuous tense exercise

Exercise 1: Change the following direct speech sentences to indirect speech.

1 She said, “I have been studying all morning.”

2 John said, “I have been waiting for you for hours.”

3 He said, “We have been playing football since noon.”

4 They said, “We have been living in this city for five years.”

5 My friend said, “I have been feeling tired lately.”

Solution with explanation

1 She said that she had been studying all morning.

Explanation: “Have been studying” changes to “had been studying” while changing to indirect speech.

2 John said that he had been waiting for me for hours.

Explanation: “Have been waiting” changes to “had been waiting” while changing to indirect speech.

3 He said that they had been playing football since noon.

Explanation: “Have been playing” changes to “had been playing” while changing direct speech to indirect speech.

4 They said that they had been living in this city for five years.

Explanation: “Have been living” changes to “had been living” while changing to indirect speech.

5 My friend said that she had been feeling tired lately.

Explanation: “Have been feeling” changes to “had been feeling” while converting direct speech to indirect speech.

Direct and indirect speech present perfect continuous tense worksheet

Exercise 2: Change the following indirect speech sentences to direct speech.

1 He said that he had been working all night.

2 She told me that she had been watching the movie for an hour.

3 Jamal mentioned that he had been reading for two hours.

4 They told us that they had been walking for three hours.

5 My friend said that she had been cooking all afternoon.

Solutions with explanations

1 He said, “I have been working all night.

“Explanation: “Had been working” converted to “have been working” in direct speech.

2 She told me, “I have been watching the movie for an hour.

“Explanation: “Had been watching” changes to “have been watching” in direct speech.

3 Jamal mentioned, “I have been reading for two hours.

“Explanation: “Had been reading” changes to “have been reading” in direct speech.

4 They told us, “We have been walking for three hours.

“Explanation: “Had been walking” changes to “have been walking” in direct speech.

5 My friend said, “I have been cooking all afternoon.

“Explanation: “Had been cooking” changes to “have been cooking” in direct speech.

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